Low woodwind instrument. Musical woodwind instrument

Wooden wind instruments- the most ancient along with the drum and some other percussion. On many plots of the pastoral, pictures of antiquity, you can see all kinds of pipes and pipes that our ancestors played.

The material was at hand. Reed reeds, bamboo and other branches served as the basis for future pipes. Who and when guessed to make holes in them, no one knows. However, wind instruments made from improvised materials have forever taken a place in the hearts of people.

People realized that as the barrel got bigger, the pitch changed, and this understanding was the impetus for improving the instruments. Gradually they changed until they were transformed into modern woodwind instruments.

To this day, musicians affectionately refer to these instruments as “wood” or “pieces of wood,” although this name has long ceased to reflect the material from which they are made. Today, these are not tubes of natural origin, but metal for flutes and saxophones, ebonite for clarinets, plastic for recorders.

Authentic wooden tools

However, wood remains the material of authentic woodwind instruments that are very popular and played on many stages around the world. These include, for example, duduk, zurna, zhaleyka, transverse flutes peoples of the world and other instruments. The voices of these instruments awaken the call of the ancestors in the souls of people.

All these tools have in common general system holes - holes that are created so that you can increase or decrease the length of the tool barrel.

Relationship between wood and brass instruments

Woodwinds, however, have some affinity with brass instruments. This relationship lies in the fact that in order to extract sound, air is needed, which is released by the lungs. Other common features these two groups of instruments do not. Wood and brass instruments can be combined into.

Funny! One conductor, himself a violinist, was very fond of wind instruments. The sounds of stringed instruments seemed to him very transparent and weightless. He called the sounds of "copper" "meat", and the sounds of "wood" for him were like a good seasoning for the main course. Listening to wind instruments, he felt the music better, felt it.

Labial and reed woodwind instruments

According to the way the sound is extracted, woodwinds are labial , which include flute And reed or reed , which include clarinet, saxophone, bassoon and oboe .

In the first case, the musician does not have to spend money on reeds and mouthpieces, while in the second, on the contrary, he has to worry about changing them periodically. Nevertheless, these expenses are justified by the beauty of the sound and the timbre of the instruments.

Which tool is right for a child?

For young children, woodwind instruments are just what you need. As a rule, on brass instruments they begin to train when strength appears and the muscular corset is strengthened, although there are exceptions. As for woodwinds, the recorder is a great choice for kids. It is simple and easy to play because it does not require any effort on the part of the breathing apparatus.

Woodwind instruments are instruments of great possibilities and great potential. Throughout the history of mankind, they have repeatedly proved this. Let's rate them too!

(generic instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon)

The group of woodwind instruments is very heterogeneous in terms of its timbre and technical capabilities. With much less flexibility, less mobility, more limited possibilities in the field of nuance than stringed instruments, - the woodwind group plays a much smaller role in the orchestra than bowed instruments. Starting from the first quarter of the 19th century, the importance of this group of instruments increased, and orchestral literature was enriched with a number of expressive solos and episodes for woodwinds. From about the same time, the so-called specific woodwind instruments systematically appeared in the orchestra (see the table of the orchestra, chapter 2 (Possibly a typo, the table of orchestra compositions with specific instruments is in chapter III - Musstudent)).

The timbre of each of the woodwind instruments is very uneven. Throughout the entire range (scale) of each of the woodwind instruments, three “register timbres” can be (conditionally) distinguished. This circumstance has allowed many composers to subtly use the various timbre possibilities of each of these instruments, mixing two, three or more instruments in various combinations of timbres, various occasions comparisons, etc. Pointing out these features of woodwinds, N. A.

Rimsky-Korsakov ("Fundamentals of Orchestration") notes that each of these instruments has its own area of ​​"expressive playing", in which this instrument is most capable of shades, changing dynamics, fine nuances, etc. This area lies mainly in range of the middle register of the instrument. Outside the "realm of expressive playing" he can only provide the orchestrator with timbre colors, with more limited dynamic shades.

The sounding body - the vibrator - in wind instruments is the air that fills the body of this instrument. Under the influence of a special (exciter (sound generator)), the column of air enclosed in the instrument begins to make periodic oscillations, creating musical sound certain height. This kind of sound generation can be observed when the wind hums in a chimney, in fans, etc. The timbre of this instrument depends on:

1. forms of the volume of air enclosed in the instruments, which are given a different look;

2. on the type of sound driver;

3. and partly from the material from which this tool is made.

All woodwind instruments consist of a wooden tube (grenadile or coconut wood) with holes drilled along the body of the instrument. Some of the holes are closed with valves. With all holes closed, the instrument produces the lowest sound - the fundamental tone of its range due to the fact that in this moment vibrates ("sounds") the entire column of air enclosed in the instrument. With the gradual opening of the holes, the column of air enclosed in the instrument is shortened, and we obtain, using well-known fingering, a complete chromatic scale within an octave (for example, for a flute) or within a duodecime (for clarinets).

To obtain higher sounds, within two, three or more octaves, the “blowing” technique is used.

The pitch of the instrument's fundamental tone is determined by the length of the tube, that is, the longer the tube, the lower the sound of the instrument. Air blowing can be done strongly and weakly. If you blow air strongly, then the air column enclosed in the instrument comes into significant oscillation and breaks up into two, and with even stronger blowing into three or more parts, which is why the main sound rises by an octave interval (at the first blow), duodecimes ( at the second blow), etc., according to the natural scale. Thus, the full volume of the tool is obtained.

Woodwind sound generators are divided into two main types:

1. Labial ("labial").

2. Lingual ("reed").

In instruments with a labial sound generator (flute), the sound is obtained from the friction of a jet of air against tense lips and the edges of a hole drilled in the head of the instrument. Thus, flute instruments do not have any additional "beep" for the formation of sound. Sound production in this case is exactly like the sound produced by whistling into a drilled door key.

Reed sounders are built, basically, like a children's toy, a squeaker made from an acacia pod.

With a not quite tight fit to each other of two elastic plates, in narrow gap a jet of air rushes in with force, causing the sharp edges of the plates to oscillate. This is how the sound generator, called the "cane" (from special kind reed from which woodwind reeds are made. For oboe and bassoon, a double reed is used, consisting of two plates; in the clarinet, one reed plate is attached to the sharply beveled edge of the instrument's head. The principle of sound formation here remains the same.

The high sound of the beeper vibrates the column of air in the instrument and causes the latter to oscillate and produce a musical sound.

A wind instrument can only play one sound at a time. In the future, when getting acquainted with wind instruments, students will have to meet the concept of the so-called "transposing instruments" more than once. For a variety of technical reasons and in connection with some historical background, some of the instruments are read lower or higher by a certain interval, compared with its recording on the staff. The volume of the textbook does not allow us to talk in detail about the circumstances that force us to this day to use the method of recording some instruments, which is so inconvenient for a novice instrumentalist. But the student of instrumentation should, from the very first lessons, learn how to transpose fluently into piano. parts of such instruments.

Flute (Flauto); volume

The performer holds the instrument in a horizontal position. The flute is a very mobile instrument, allowing you to write fast scale sequences, wide jumps, arpeggios, trills and other passages for it. The timbre of the flute is light (especially in the middle), somewhat dull, cold and weak in the lower register, bright and somewhat sharp, “whistling” in the upper register. The middle and upper registers of the flute have been constantly used by all orchestral composers since ancient times. Lower case, with rare exceptions, for a long time did not find application. But, starting (approximately) with J. Bizet (1833-1875), a number of French composers(Delibes, 1836-1891), (Massnet, 1842-1912), followed by many later composers both French and outstanding orchestrators among Russian and German composers write a number of interesting flute solos in the low register. On the flute, a special effect is possible, achieved by double hitting the tongue (quick interruption of the sound - staccato).

Small flute (Flauto piccolo). Volume:

It is written an octave below the actual sonority. It is used in the orchestra mainly as an additional instrument, increasing the volume of the grand flute in the upper register, or for doubling the part of the grand flute into an octave (for example: in the grand "tutti"). The small flute has a sharp and strong sound. In Russian and Western orchestral literature there are a number of solos for the piccolo flute.

The alto flute, sounding a fourth or a fifth lower than the grand flute, began to appear in the orchestra relatively recently and is not yet widely used.

Oboe (Oboe), volume: The performer holds the instrument at an angle down. The oboe is less mobile than the flute, and cantilena (singing) melodies are more inherent in it. Nevertheless, short passages, trills, arpeggios at a fairly mobile pace are quite accessible to him.

The timbre of the oboe in the lower register is somewhat sharp, the middle register is soft, light, and the upper register is sharp. The timbre of the oboe is characterized by some nasality, reminiscent of the sounds of a shepherd's horn. It is these timbre features of the oboe that composers often use when depicting pictures of nature, shepherd tunes, etc.

English horn (Corno inglese), volume:

sounds a fifth below the notated sounds. The English horn is played by a second oboist or special performer(with a triple composition: two oboes and an English horn). The timbre of the English horn is even more condensed and nasal than that of the oboe. Its sound is reminiscent of the timbre of some oriental wind instruments.

The English horn was widely used by Russian composers, starting with Glinka, who often resorted to the specific timbre of this instrument to depict oriental flavor.

Clarinet (clarinetto), volume:

tool. The clarinet has great beauty of timbre and considerable flexibility in nuance. On the clarinet, arpeggios, scales, trills and a wide variety of passages in a very mobile theme sound excellent. The middle register of the clarinet is soft and juicy; the lower one is somewhat deaf, gloomy; upper - piercingly sharp. The clarinet began to be used in the orchestra relatively recently. His invention dates back to around 1700. Only in the second half of the 18th century did the clarinet become a permanent member of the orchestra. Haydn and Mozart used it with great care (some works of these composers are instrumented without clarinets), and only since the time of Weber, the clarinet began to occupy almost one of the main places in the family of wind instruments.

Due to the special arrangement of the valves, it is inconvenient to play pieces with a large number of characters on the clarinet. To avoid this inconvenience, modern orchestras use two scales of clarinets: for sharp keys, the clarinet is in scale A, and for flat keys, it is in scale B. Thus, the clarinet is a transposing instrument.

Melody

on the clarinet in A-string it will sound:

and on the clarinet in the B scale it will sound:

When modulating in a piece in the clarinet part, several pauses are given to change the order (change the clarinet). (It is written in the part: “muta A in B”, i.e. replace clarinet A with clarinet B.)

Bass clarinet (Clarinetto basso), a transposing instrument. Somewhat less mobile than the clarinet. Used in tunings A and B (the latter more often).

To make playing it easier, its part is written in the treble clef.

Volume by letter:

Sounds like:

The timbre of the bass clarinet is gloomy, gloomy; the sound is strong.

Small clarinets (Clarinetti piccoli), starting with Berlioz, are sometimes introduced into the symphony orchestra. The timbre of the small clarinet is sharp, piercing. Used in D and Es tunings.

Bassoon (Fagotto), volume:

playing with a curved metal tube. The bassoon part is written in bass and tenor clefs.

The lower and middle registers are the most beautiful and common. Higher sounds are somewhat dull. The bassoon can play fairly fast passages, especially arpeggios. Jumps for almost any interval, trills, staccato technique, etc. are very common.

Counter-bassoon (Contrafagotto), volume:

It sounds an octave below the notated sounds. A very bulky instrument, little mobile, with a powerful sound. Used in some cases to double in large orchestras bassoon parts in an octave (in large tutti), to enhance the bass group, etc.

In addition to the main and most commonly used visual instruments of the woodwind group considered here (in the scores of ancient composers and newer and our contemporaries - Western and Russian composers), a number of instruments have found and are being used, either completely not used in modern musical practice, or not who have found a place that is quite strong in the orchestral score. Such instruments include the old basset horn, oboe d "cupid or, for example, saxophones, heckelphone, etc. The task of our short course does not include consideration of these rare members of the symphony orchestra.

The woodwind group in its main composition, just like the string group, gives a complete harmonic complex: flutes play the role of a soprano voice, oboes - alto, clarinets - tenor, bassoons - bass.

This is how the “quartet” of woodwinds will sound, if the instruments are arranged according to their nominal height:

But, as will be seen from the following, any of the instruments of the wind group can play the role of a soprano voice, and the rest of the accompaniment.

Species instruments (piccolo flute, cor anglais, bass and piccolo clarinets, counter-bassoon) serve mainly for special effects, to enhance the group of wood and to increase the volume (basic scale) of generic instruments.

In the time of the Viennese classics, the woodwind group was only being established in its double composition; but often these composers used an incomplete pair composition, releasing the part of the 2nd flute in the score, then not using clarinets at all, etc.

The parts of each pair of the main instruments of the woodwind group are usually written on one line (one staff) and only occasionally on two, using the following conventions. When both instruments are played in unison, they write on top: "a2", which means - together. If two instruments play different parts, their notes are written with stems in different directions. The indications "1 solo", "2 solo" indicates the solo performance of this place by one of the two instruments

Bassoon(Italian fagotto, lit. “knot, bundle, bundle of firewood”, German Fagott, French basson, English bassoon) is a woodwind instrument of the bass, tenor and partially alto registers. It has the form of a bent long tube with a valve system and a double (like an oboe) reed, which is put on a metal tube (“es”) in the shape of the letter S, connecting the reed to the main body of the instrument. It got its name due to the fact that, when disassembled, it resembles a bundle of firewood.

The bassoon was constructed in the 16th century in Italy; it is used in the orchestra with late XVII- the beginning of the 18th century, took a permanent place in it by the end of the 18th century. The timbre of the bassoon is very expressive and rich in overtones throughout the entire range. The most common are the lower and middle registers of the instrument, the upper notes sound somewhat nasal and constricted. The bassoon is used in a symphony, less often in a brass band, and also as a solo and ensemble instrument.

The bassoon is a long tube of a gently conical shape. For greater compactness, the air column inside the instrument is doubled, as it were. The main material for the manufacture of the bassoon is maple wood.

The body of the bassoon consists of four parts: the lower knee (“boot”, which has a U-shape), the small knee (“wing”), the large knee and the bell. A thin long metal tube extends from the small knee, bent in the form of the letter S (hence its name - es), on which a reed is mounted - the sound-forming element of the bassoon.

There are numerous holes (about 25–30) on the body of the instrument, by opening and closing which the performer changes the pitch. Only 5-6 holes are controlled by fingers, the rest uses a complex valve mechanism.

WITH
axophone(from Sax - the surname of the inventor and Greek φωνή - "sound", French saxophone, Italian sassofono, German Saxophon) - a wind musical instrument belonging to the wooden family according to the principle of sound extraction, despite the fact that it was never made of wood . The family of saxophones was designed in 1842 by the Belgian musical master Adolf Sax and patented by him four years later. WITH mid-nineteenth century, the saxophone has been used in a brass band, less often in a symphony, also as a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra (ensemble). It is one of the main instruments of jazz and related genres, as well as pop music. The instrument has a full and powerful sound, melodious timbre and great technical mobility.

The fingering of the saxophone is close to the fingering of the oboe, but the lips do not turn up so much, and the principle of sound extraction is similar to the sound extraction on the clarinet, but it is a little easier to make embouchure. At the same time, the registers of the saxophone are more uniform than those of the clarinet.

The possibilities of the saxophone are very wide: in terms of technical mobility, especially in legato, it competes with the clarinet, a large amplitude of sound vibration is possible, a clear accentuated staccato, glissanded transitions from one sound to another. In addition, the saxophone has a much greater sound power than other woodwinds (approximately like a French horn). His ability to blend organically with both woodwind and brass groups helps him to successfully unite these groups in timbre.

In jazz and when performing modern music, saxophonists use a wide variety of playing techniques - frullato (tremolo on one note using the tongue), resonant sound, performance in an ultra-high register with harmonic sounds, polyphonic sound, etc.

F lajolet(French flageolet, shortened from old French flageol - flute) - an old flute of a high register, a pipe.

The first known flageolet was made in France by master V. Juvigny, in 1581.

It is a tube made of boxwood or ivory with a cylindrical or reverse-conical channel, with 6 finger holes and a whistle device.

From the beginning of the 18th century, it consisted of two joining parts, and the upper one (with a whistle device) was increased (total length 300 mm) and turned into a special chamber with a tampon that sucks up moisture.

There are French flageolets (with four holes on the front side, and two on the back), and English (with all six holes on the front side). In addition, there is a double flageolet - with a single whistle device and two tubes, which allows you to extract two sounds at the same time.

Due to the high melodic sound, the flageolet was used to train birds to whistle various melodies.

The flageolet became most widespread in the 17th century, and was later replaced by the piccolo flute.

The flageolet was used in their works by J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, K. V. Gluck and W. A. ​​Mozart.

AND
Talian bagpipe unusual in that it has two tubes to play the melody, one for each hand. All 4 tubes have two reeds. Air blown into the tubes passes through two reeds and produces a sound reminiscent of an organ. The Italian bagpipe, accompanied by a giaramella (a small pipe), is played in small towns, especially at Christmas.

The Italian bagpipe is always played with the giaramella, a conical pipe. They are often heard together during Christmas. The Italian bagpipe belongs to the piffero genus of bagpipes.

G
kill harmonica(colloquial “(mouth) harmonica”, harp (from English harp)) is a common reed musical instrument. Inside the harmonica are copper plates (reeds) that vibrate in the air stream created by the musician. Unlike other reed musical instruments, the harmonica does not have a keyboard. Instead of a keyboard, the tongue and lips are used to select a hole (usually arranged linearly) corresponding to the desired note.

The harmonica is most often used in such musical directions like blues, folk, bluegrass, blues rock, country, jazz, pop.

A musician playing the harmonica is called a harper.

Chromatic harmonics allow you to play all 12 notes in an octave (including semitones). Learning to play them is more difficult than diatonic ones, but they can play any melody without mastering special playing techniques, such as bending. Harmonics of this type actually consist of 2 harmonics in one package. Switching between them and extracting halftones is achieved using a special switch button - a slider located on one of the sides of the instrument.

Diatonic harmonicas use the diatonic scale (for example: C, D, E, F) without semitone intervals between notes (C#, D#, and so on). Playing the diatonic harmonica without the use of special techniques resembles playing the piano only on the white keys, without the black ones. Diatonic harmonicas have a range of 1-4 octaves.

The blues harmonica is the most popular today. It usually has 10 holes, each can be played both for inhalation (English draw) and for exhalation (English blow). With certain playing skills, you can play chromatically using special techniques - bends and overflows. Sold in different keys and settings, but the most common is C-dur.

In a tremolo harmonica, two soundbars sounding at the same time are slightly out of tune with respect to each other, creating a tremolo effect. Thus, there are 2 reeds for each note, and the sound is more saturated. The presence of the note la in the lower octave allows you to fully play Russian melodies.

The octave harmonica is another variation of the diatonic. In it, two sound plates sounding simultaneously are tuned exactly in an octave relative to each other. This gives more volume and a different timbre of sound.

The bass harmonica is actually two separate instruments, one above the other, hinged on both sides. Each hole plays only on exhalation, and for each note there are two sound plates tuned to an octave.

The chord harmonica, like the bass harmonica, also consists of two movably fixed plates, the double reeds of which are tuned to an octave. But unlike bass harmonics, it has notes for both exhalation and inhalation, which allows you to use different chords.

G
wallpaper(from French hautbois, literally “tall tree”, English, German and Italian oboe) is a soprano woodwind musical instrument, which is a conical tube with a valve system and a double reed (tongue). The oboe acquired its modern look in the first half of the 18th century. The instrument has a melodious, but somewhat nasal, and in the upper register - a sharp timbre.

Instruments that are considered the direct predecessors of the modern oboe have been known since antiquity and have been preserved in their original form in different cultures. Folk instruments such as the bombarda, bagpipes, zhaleika, duduk, gaita, khitiriks, zurna, together with the instruments of the New Age (musette, oboe proper, oboe d'amour, English horn, baritone oboe, baroque oboe) make up an extensive family of this instrument.

The oboe is used as a solo instrument, in chamber music and a symphony orchestra.

The basis of the repertoire for the oboe is made up of works of the Baroque era (works by Bach and his contemporaries) and classicism (Mozart). The works of romantic composers (Schumann) and contemporary composers are performed less often.

The first oboes were made of reed or bamboo - a natural cavity inside the tube was used to create the case. Despite the fact that some folk instruments are still made in this way, the need to find a material that is more durable and resistant to changes in the situation quickly became obvious. In search of a suitable option, musical masters tried different types of wood, usually hard, with the correct arrangement of fibers: boxwood, beech, wild cherry, rosewood, pear. Some baroque oboes were made from ivory.

In the 19th century, with the addition of new valves, an even stronger material was needed. Ebony turned out to be a suitable option. Ebony wood has remained the main material for oboes to this day, although exotic woods such as cocobolo and purplewood are sometimes used. Experiments were carried out to create oboes from metal and plexiglass. One of the latest technological innovations is applied by Buffet Crampon: Green Line technology tools made of a material consisting of 95% ebony powder and 5% carbon fiber. With the same acoustic properties as ebony instruments, Green Line clarinets are much less sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, which reduces the risk of damage to the instrument, in addition, they are lighter and cheaper.

A
English horn(Italian corno inglese, French cor anglais, German Englisch Horn) or alto oboe is a woodwind musical instrument, a kind of oboe.

The English horn is similar in structure to the oboe, but has a larger size, a pear-shaped bell and a special curved metal tube, through which the reed is connected to the main body.

The fingering of the English horn is exactly the same as that of the oboe, but due to the longer body length, it sounds a perfect fifth lower.

The playing technique and strokes when playing the English horn are the same as on the oboe, but the English horn is somewhat less technical. In his performance, the most typical are cantilena, drawn-out episodes in legato. The timbre of the English horn is thicker, fuller and softer than that of the oboe.

The range of the English horn in terms of actual sound is from e (mi of a small octave) to b2 (b-flat of the second octave). The uppermost sounds of the range are rarely used. With the same fingering as the oboe, the English horn sounds a fifth below it, that is, it belongs to the number of transposing instruments in F.

Italian composers of the late XVIII - first half of XIX centuries notated the English horn part in a bass clef, an octave below the actual sound. In the French tradition, it was customary to write notes for him in a rare mezzo-soprano key. The most common was notation in the viola clef (it was later used by some composers of the 20th century, in particular, S. S. Prokofiev). In modern scores, the English horn part is written in the treble clef a perfect fifth above the actual sound.

In an orchestra, one English horn is usually used (rarely two), and its part can be a temporary replacement for one of the oboes (usually the last one in number).

TO
ena(Quechua qina, Spanish quena) is a longitudinal flute used in the music of the Andean region of Latin America. Usually made from cane. It has six upper and one lower finger hole. It is usually made in G tuning. The kenacho flute (quechua qinachu, Spanish quenacho) is a variant of the kena with a lower sound, in D tuning. It is similar in design and sound production to the Japanese shakuhachi flute: it does not have a whistle, only an oval notch of a wedge-shaped section at the top end. To extract sound, the musician puts the upper end of the flute to his lips and directs the air flow to the wedge. Thanks to this design, compared to a recorder, the range of airflow control possibilities is increased, which gives the instrument a lively, expressive sound.

F
leita-piccolo ( often called simply piccolo or piccolo; ital. flauto piccolo or ottavino, fr. petite flute, German. kleine Flöte) - a woodwind musical instrument, a variety transverse flute, the highest-sounding wind instrument. It has a brilliant, in the forte - a piercing and whistling timbre. A small flute is half as long as an ordinary one and sounds an octave higher, and it is impossible to extract a number of low sounds on it. The piccolo range is from d² to c5 (re of the second octave - up to the fifth octave), there are also instruments that have the ability to take c² and cis². Notes for ease of reading are written an octave lower.

The design of the piccolo flute is generally the same as that of the large flute, however, the embouchure (head) hole is smaller in diameter, there is no knee, and the holes in the body of the instrument are located closer to each other. The length of a piccolo is about 32 centimeters, which is almost two times shorter than a large flute, the drilling diameter is 1 centimeter. Piccolo flutes are made of wood, metal, less often from other composite materials. The technique of playing the piccolo flute is the same as that of the grand flute, but full mastery of the instrument requires a long, purposeful period of mastery on the part of the performer (unlike, for example, the alto flute).

The main scope of the small flute is symphony and brass bands, its use as a solo instrument refers to isolated cases (Vivaldi - Concerto C-dur).

The precursor to the piccolo is the harmonica, which was widely used in military music in the Middle Ages. Actually, the piccolo flute was constructed in the 18th century and at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries became part of the symphony orchestra, where it became one of the highest register instruments. In 19th-century military and brass bands, piccolo flutes in D-flat or E-flat tuning were often used, today such instruments are extremely rare.

Usually, a symphony orchestra uses one small flute (rarely two), the part of which in the score is placed on a separate line above the parts of large flutes (that is, above all the other instruments of the orchestra). Often the part of the small flute is a temporary replacement for the part of one of the great flutes. The most common function of the piccolo flute in an orchestra is to support the upper voices in the overall sound, but sometimes composers trust this instrument to solo episodes (Ravel - Piano Concerto No. 1, Shchedrin - Piano Concerto No. 4), Shostakovich - Symphonies No. 9 and No. 10) .

Clarinet(Italian clarinetto, French clarinette, German Klarinette, English clarinet or clarionet) is a woodwind musical instrument with a single reed. It was invented around 1700 in Nuremberg, and has been actively used in music since the second half of the 18th century. It is used in a wide variety of musical genres and compositions: as a solo instrument, in chamber ensembles, symphony and brass bands, folk music, on the stage and in jazz. The clarinet has a wide range, warm, soft timbre and provides the performer with a wide range of expressive possibilities.

Such details of the clarinet as the mouthpiece with a single reed and the system of annular valves are borrowed almost without change by the saxophone.

basset horn(German Bassethorn; French cor de basset; Italian corno di bassetto) is a woodwind musical instrument, a kind of clarinet.

The basset horn has roughly the same structure as a regular clarinet, but is longer, which makes it sound lower. Its tube diameter tends to be somewhat wider than that of a regular clarinet, which makes a regular clarinet mouthpiece not suitable for it and an alto clarinet mouthpiece is used. For compactness, the tube of the modern basset horn is slightly curved at the mouthpiece and at the bell. Instruments built in the 18th and 19th centuries had more complex shape with several bends and a special chamber where the air channel changed direction several times, turning into an expanding metal bell.

The instrument is equipped with several additional valves that extend its range down compared to the clarinet to a note up to a small octave (as written in the treble clef). These valves are operated by the right thumb (typical on German models) or little fingers (on French instruments).

The basset horn is a transposing instrument. It is usually used in F (in the F system), that is, it sounds a perfect fifth below the written notes. Often the notes for such an instrument are written down like notes for a horn - in the bass clef a fourth above the written notes, in the violin clef - a fifth below. Basset horns in other tunings (G, D, Es, A, B) were used sporadically in the 18th century, but did not enter into widespread use. The tone of the basset horn is similar to that of the clarinet, but slightly more matte and softer.

The range of the modern basset horn in F is from the F of a large octave to the B flat of the second and higher (it is possible to extract sounds up to the F of the third, but they are not always stable in intonation)

A
accordion(from French accordéon) - a musical instrument, hand harmonica. In 1829, the Viennese organ master K. Damian gave this name to the harmonica he improved. In the Russian tradition, it is usually customary to name only instruments with a piano-type right-hand keyboard (usually several timbre registers) - in contrast, for example, to the button accordion. However, sometimes the name "button accordion" is also found. Some of its varieties are called button accordion.

IN late XIX century accordions were made in large quantities in Klingenthal (Saxony). Until now, the most common accordions in Russia are Weltmeister (various brands, for example, Diana, Stella, Amigo). There are also other manufacturing firms, both foreign ("Horch", "Hohner"), and Russian ("Birch", "Mercury").

There is an opinion that those who know how to play the piano will easily learn to play the accordion. However, despite the outward similarity of accordion and piano keyboards, their keys have different sizes, it is also necessary to take into account completely different principles of sound production, playing techniques and the position of the performing apparatus. But at the same time, it is easier for an accordionist than for an accordion player to master the piano.

Tabla- Indian percussion instrument.

T
there is no exact information about the origin of tabla. But on existing tradition the creation of this instrument (as well as many others whose origin is unknown) is attributed to Amir Khusro (XIII century). The very name “tabla” is foreign, but this does not apply to the instrument: Indian ancient reliefs are known depicting such pairs of drums, and even in the Natyashastra, a text almost two thousand years ago, river sand of a certain quality is mentioned, which is part of the paste for membrane coatings.

There is a legend about the birth of tabla. During the time of Akbar, there were two professional Pakhawaj players. They were bitter rivals and constantly competed with each other. Once, in a heated drumming match, one of the rivals - Sudhar Khan - was defeated and, unable to bear his bitterness, threw his pakhawaj to the ground. The drum broke into two pieces, which became tabla and dagga.

The big drum is called bayan, the small one is called daina.

There are several gharanas (schools) of tabla, the most famous are six of them: Ajrara gharana, Benares gharana, Delhi gharana, Farukhabad gharana, Lucknow gharana, Punjab gharana.

One of the most famous musicians who glorified this instrument all over the world is the Indian musician Zakir Hussain.

M arakas or maraca (Spanish maraca) - the oldest shock-noise instrument of the indigenous inhabitants of the Antilles - the Taino Indians, a kind of rattle that makes a characteristic rustling sound when shaken. Currently, maracas are popular throughout Latin America and are one of the symbols of Latin American music. Typically, a maraca player uses a pair of rattles, one in each hand.

In Russian, the name of the instrument is often used in the not quite correct form "marakas" ( masculine, singular) or "maracas" (masculine, plural). This is due to the mechanical transfer of the Spanish name of the instrument in the plural (Spanish maracas) into the Russian language, supplemented, moreover, by the ending of the plural, characteristic of the Russian language. The more correct form of the name is "maraka" (feminine, singular; plural is "maraki").

T amburine- an ancient musical drum of a cylindrical shape, as well as a dance in two-part meter and music for it.

The tambourine was known in the south of France around the 18th century. Usually the same performer played the flute (similar to a harmonica) and accompanied himself on the tambourine.

Charles-Marie Widor stated that the tambourine "differs from the ordinary drum in its strongly elongated appearance and the absence of a harsh sound". Joseph Baggers adds that the tambourine is not only longer and narrower than an ordinary drum, but, in contrast, has strings stretched over the skin, which gives the instrument its characteristic "somewhat nasal deafness." On the contrary, the French military conductor of the XVIII century M.-A. Suye be careful. He simply combines these provisions and states that the tambourine has "a very long body and is often without strings - sans timbre".

B
onang- Indonesian percussion instrument. It is a set of bronze gongs, with the help of cords, fixed in a horizontal position on a wooden stand. Each gong has a bulge (pencha) in the center. The sound is produced by hitting this bulge with a wooden stick wrapped at the end with cotton cloth or rope. Sometimes spherical resonators made of burnt clay are suspended under the gongs. The sound of the bonang is soft and melodious, slowly fading away.

In gamelan, the bonang usually performs harmonic functions, but sometimes it is also assigned to lead the main theme.

Among bonangs, male (vangun lanang) and female (vangun wedon) are distinguished. The former gongs have high sides and a more convex surface, while the latter have lower and flatter ones. Bonang penerus (small), bonang barung (medium) and bonang penembung (large) are also distinguished depending on the size.

H
elesta(Italian celesta - “heavenly”) - a small keyboard-percussion musical instrument that looks like a piano, sounds like bells.

The sound is produced by hammers driven by keys (the mechanism of the hammers is similar to that of a piano, but more simplified). Hammers hit steel plates mounted on wooden resonators. The range of the celesta is from c1 (up to the first octave) to c5 (up to the fifth octave).

Ernest Chausson was the first to use the celesta in the orchestra in the music for Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1888).

During his visit to Paris, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky heard the celesta and was so fascinated by its sound that he included the part of this instrument in his compositions: the ballad The Voyevoda (1891) and the ballet The Nutcracker (Dance of the Dragee Fairy; 1892).

The celesta is used almost exclusively as an orchestral instrument for creating special flavor by Gustav Holst in the Planets suite, by Dmitri Shostakovich in the thirteenth symphony, and by other academic composers. The celesta also plays the part of the glass harmonica, an instrument that has fallen into disuse, but is provided for in the works of some composers of the 19th century. As a rule, the full-time pianist of the orchestra plays the celesta (in the absence of a celesta, her part can be performed on the piano).

Also among the composers of the XX century they used the celesta in their works Bartok (Music for strings, percussion and celesta, 1936), Britten (opera "A Midsummer Night's Dream", 1960), Glass (opera "Akhenaton", 1984), Feldman ("Philip Guston, 1984).

Notes for the celesta are written on two staves one octave below the actual sound. In the score of the symphony orchestra, her part is located under the part of the harp, above the parts of string instruments.

The sound of this instrument was used by the Depeche Mode group in some of their works.

G
ender(gendir) is an Indonesian percussion instrument. It consists of 10-12 slightly convex metal plates, fixed in a horizontal position on a wooden stand with cords. Bamboo resonator tubes are suspended from the plates. Gender plates are selected in accordance with the 5-step slendro scale or the 7-step pelo scale.

The sound is produced by striking two short wooden sticks with rubber tips. Compared to its sister gambang, gender has a softer timbre. This instrument requires a virtuoso technique from the performer, since the performance of pieces in an improvisational manner requires extremely fast hand movements. Often gender is played by women.

In gamelan, gender carries out a variational development of the main theme given by the gambang.

Depending on the size of the instrument, there are varieties: gender penerus (small), gender barung (medium) and gender penembung (large).

TO
astanets(Spanish: castañetas) - a percussion musical instrument, which consists of two concave shell plates, connected by a cord in the upper parts. Plates have traditionally been made from hardwood, although more recently fiberglass has been used for this. Castanets are most widely used in Spain, southern Italy and Latin America.

Similar simple musical instruments, suitable for rhythmic accompaniment of dance and singing, were used in ancient Egypt and ancient Greece.

The name castanets in Russian is borrowed from Spanish, where they are called castañuelas ("chestnuts") because of their resemblance to chestnut fruits. In Andalusia, they are more commonly referred to as palillos ("sticks").

In world culture, castanets are most strongly associated with the image of Spanish music, especially with the music of Spanish gypsies, the flamenco style, etc. Therefore, this instrument is often used in classical music to create a "Spanish flavor" (for example, in the opera Carmen by G. Bizet). In a symphony orchestra, for the convenience of performers, castanets are most often used mounted on a special stand (the so-called "castanets-machine").

TO
alimba- the oldest and most common instrument in Africa (especially in Central and South, on some of the Antilles). Its wide popularity is evidenced by the abundance of names that designate kalimba among various tribes: tsantsa, sanza, mbira, mbila, ndimba, lukembu, lala, malimba, ndandi, ijari, mganga, likembe, selimba, etc., of which the "official" us is "tsantsa", in the West - "kalimba". Kalimba is used in traditional rituals and by professional musicians. It has been called the "African hand piano"; this is a rather virtuoso instrument, designed to perform melodic patterns, but it is also quite suitable for playing chords. Mostly used as an accompanying instrument. Large kalimbas give a unique low rumble to the lively bass rhythms of African music, small ones emit a completely ghostly, fragile sound, similar to a music box.

On the resonator body (it can be of various shapes) there is a row or several rows of wooden, bamboo or metal reed plates that serve as a sound source. The simplest samples have a flat one, while more complex ones have a cavity resonator made of tortoise shell, dugout wood, hollow pumpkin, etc., tongues (4-30) are attached to the resonator board. A high nut limits the sounding part of the reeds. When playing (standing, on the move, sitting), the kalimba is clamped with the palms of the hands bent at right angles and tightly pressed to the sides, or they are held on their knees, large and index fingers both hands pinch and release the free (upper) ends of the tongues, bringing them into a state of vibration. Kalimbas come in a variety of sizes; body length 100-350 mm, tongue length 30-100 mm, width 3-5 mm. The scale of the kalimba depends on the number of reeds.

WITH
steel drum(English steelpan) - a percussion instrument with a certain pitch. Used in Afro-Caribbean music such as calypso and soca. Invented in the 1930s, some sources consider the steel drum to be the only non-electronic musical instrument invented in the 20th century.

The instrument appeared after the adoption in Trinidad and Tobago of a law banning membrane drums and bamboo sticks for playing music. The drum began to be forged from steel barrels (in large numbers left on the beaches after the end of the Second World War), from sheets of steel 0.8 - 1.5 mm thick. The tuning of the instrument consists in forming petal-shaped areas in this steel sheet and giving them the necessary sound with the help of hammers. The instrument may need to be retuned once or twice a year.

Usually several types of instrument are played in the ensemble: ping-pong leads the melody, tune boom forms the harmonic basis, and bass boom keeps the rhythm. The instrument is even represented in the armed forces of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - since 1995 there has been a "steel band" with the defensive troops, which is the only military band in the world using a steel drum.

B
ongo(Spanish: bongó) - Cuban percussion instrument: a small doubled drum of African origin, usually played while sitting, holding the bongo between the calves of the legs. In Cuba, the bongo first appeared in the province of Oriente around 1900. The drums that make up the bongos vary in size; the smaller of them is considered “male” (macho - Spanish macho, literally “male”), and the larger one is considered “female” (embra - Spanish hembra, “female”), the main drum. Traditionally, a lower-tuned, "female" drum is located on the right hand of the bongocero musician (Spanish: bongocero). Bongos are widely used both in traditional Cuban music and in Latin American music in general.

In the 1920s, the bongo was tuned lower than it is now, and was played in a technique close to playing the conga, including changing the tension of the membrane during the game. Initially, the skin was fastened to the body of the drum with nails, and to tune it, the bongosero used a small brazier filled with coals, which was placed between the legs during the game.

Modern bongos are tuned higher than before, which is more in line with the role of these drums as a solo instrument. Now the technique of playing the bongo is based primarily on the rhythmic pattern "martillo" (Spanish martillo, "hammer"). The bongo part can also be overdubbed by other percussion instruments, such as the senserro, especially as the volume and intensity of the ensemble's rhythm increase.

T
arelets- a percussion musical instrument with an indefinite pitch. Plates have been known since ancient times, meeting in China, India, later in Greece and Turkey.

They are a convex-shaped disk made of special alloys by casting and subsequent forging. There is a hole in the center of the cymbal for attaching the instrument to a special stand or for attaching a strap.

Among the main techniques of the game: hitting suspended cymbals with various sticks and mallets, hitting paired cymbals against each other, playing with a bow. The sound stops when the musician places the cymbals against his chest.

As a rule, cymbal strikes fall on the strong beat, simultaneously with the bass drum. Their parties are written side by side. The sound of cymbals in the forte is sharp, brilliant, wild, in the piano it is rattling, but much softer. In an orchestra, cymbals primarily dynamically emphasize the climax, but often their role is reduced to colorful rhythms or special visual effects.

In jargon, musicians sometimes refer to a set of cymbals as "iron".

T ratchet- a folk musical instrument, an idiophone that replaces clapping.

Ratchets consist of a set of 18 - 20 thin boards (usually oak) 16 - 18 cm long. They are interconnected by a dense rope threaded through the holes in the upper part of the boards. To separate the boards, small wooden plates about 2 cm wide are inserted between them at the top.

There is another design of the ratchet - a rectangular box with a wooden gear placed inside, attached to a small handle. A cut is made in one of the walls of this box, in the hole of which a thin elastic wooden or metal plate is fixed.

The ratchet holds the rope with both hands, sharp or smooth movements allow you to make various sounds. At the same time, the hands are at the level of the chest, head, and sometimes rise to attract attention with their appearance.

P During archaeological excavations in Novgorod in 1992, two tablets were found, which, according to V.I. Povetkin, were included in the set of ancient Novgorod rattles in the 12th century.

Rattles were used in the wedding ceremony when singing praise songs with dancing. The choral performance of a laudatory song is often accompanied by the playing of an entire ensemble, sometimes numbering more than ten people. During a wedding, rattles are decorated with ribbons, flowers, and sometimes bells.

R learning bells usually made in a set, tuned to the notes of the scale. Entire choirs (teams) of ringers play the bells. Musicians require exceptional precision, regularity and agility of fingers. The sound is produced by the fast movements of the performer's hand, which causes the bell reed to beat against the bell body. Handbell playing is very popular in the UK and USA where choirs of 10 OR 12 players play large sets of handbells.

In England, during the 19th century, groups of bell ringers gathered, with a total of up to 200 bells, on which they performed melodies popular at that time.

At
gift installation(drum set, drums from English drums) - a set of drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments adapted for the convenient playing of a drummer musician. Commonly used in jazz, rock and pop music.

Individual instruments are played with drum sticks, various brushes and mallets. Pedals are used to play the hi-hat and bass drum, so the drummer plays while sitting on a special chair or stool.

Different genres of music dictate the stylistically appropriate composition of the instruments in the drum set.

1. Plates | 2. Floor tom-tom | 3. Tom-tom

4. Bass drum | 5. Snare drum | 6. Hi-hat

The standard drum kit includes the following items:

Crash is a cymbal with a powerful but short sound for accents.

Ride (ride) - a plate with a sonorous, hissing sound.

Hi-hat (hi-hat) - two plates mounted on the same rod and controlled by a pedal.

Drums:

The snare drum (snare drum) is the main instrument of the setup.

3 tom-toms: high tom-tom (high tom-tom), low tom-tom (middle tom-tom) - both are colloquially called violas, floor tom-tom (or just floor tom-tom).

Bass drum ("barrel", bass drum).

The number of instruments in the setup is different for each performer and his style. The most minimal settings are used in rockabilly and dixieland jazz, and the settings of progressive rock, fusion, metal performers usually include a wide range of instruments: drummers use additional cymbals (combined by the term effect cymbals: splash (splash), china (china), etc.) and tom-toms or snare drums, two hi-hats are also used.

Some manufacturers offer another option drum set with 1 hanging and 2 floor toms. Performers using this setup include Phil Rudd (AC/DC), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Hena Habegger (Gotthard) and John Bonham (Led Zeppelin).

In heavy music (metal, hard rock, etc.), two bass drums or a double pedal (the so-called “cardan”) are often used - two pedals connected by a cardan shaft so that both beaters hit one bass drum in sequence.

There is also a variant of a drum kit designed for playing while standing (the so-called cocktail drum).

The importance of wind instruments, both solo and in any type of orchestra, is very high. According to music experts, they are the ones that unite the sounds of strings and keyboards, even out the sound, despite the fact that their technical and artistic qualities are not so outstanding and attractive. With the development of new technologies and the use of new materials for the manufacture of wind musical instruments, the popularity of wood has decreased, but not so much that they are completely excluded from use. Both in symphony, and in folklore orchestras, and in instrumental groups, various pipes, pipes made of wood are widely used, since their sound is so unique that it is impossible to replace them with something.

Types of Woodwind Instruments

Clarinet - capable of producing a wide range of sound, with a soft and warm timbre. These unique abilities of the instrument provide the performer with unlimited possibilities for playing with the melody.

The flute is a wind instrument with the highest sound. She is considered unique tool in terms of technical capabilities in the performance of melodies, which gives her the right to solo in any direction.

The oboe is a wooden instrument with a slightly harsh, nasal, but unusually melodious voice. It is most often used in symphony orchestras, for playing solo parts or excerpts from works.

Bassoon is a bass wind instrument that produces only a low sound. It is much more difficult to control and play it than other wind instruments, but, nevertheless, at least 3 or 4 of them are used in a classical symphony orchestra.

Folklore orchestras use various pipes, pity pipes, whistles and ocarinas made of wood. Their structure is not complex, as in symphonic instruments, the sound is not so diverse, but they are much easier to control.

Where are woodwind instruments used?

IN contemporary music woodwind instruments are no longer used as often as in past centuries. Their popularity is unchanged only in symphonic and chamber orchestras, as well as in folklore ensembles. When performing music of these genres, they often occupy a leading position, and it is they who are given the solo part. It is not uncommon for wooden instruments to sound in jazz compositions and pop. But connoisseurs of such creativity, unfortunately, is becoming less and less.

How and from what modern wind instruments are made

Modern woodwind instruments only superficially resemble their predecessors. They are made not only of wood, the air flow is regulated not by fingers, but by a multi-level system of keys-valves that make the sound shorter or longer, increase or decrease its tone.
For the production of wind instruments, maple, pear, walnut or the so-called ebony - ebony are used. Their wood is porous, but resilient and durable, it does not burst during processing and does not crack during use.

Collection of clarinets - representatives of woodwind instruments

Classification of musical instruments According to the sounding body According to the method of influencing the sounding body Plucked(String Idiophones) By control mechanism By sound conversion Electronic

woodwind instruments- a group of wind musical instruments, the principle of playing which is based on sending a directed stream of air into a special hole and to adjust the height of the sound, closing the special holes with valves.

Some modern instruments of this type (for example, the modern orchestral flute) are almost never made of wood, for the manufacture of others wood is used along with materials such as the most common plastics, silver or special silver-plated alloys. And the saxophone, which, according to the principle of sound extraction, is a woodwind, has never been made of wood.

Woodwind instruments include modern flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone with all their varieties, old recorder, shalmey, chalumeau, etc., as well as a number of folk instruments, such as balaban , duduk , zhaleyka , flute , zurna , albok .

History of woodwinds

In the early stages of their development, these instruments were made exclusively from wood, from which historically they got their name. Woodwinds include a large group of musical instruments united by the material and method of extracting air. One of the most ancient is the syringa pipe, which is a tube clogged on one side, in which sound is caused by the vibration of the air column enclosed in it.

Classification of woodwind instruments

Woodwind instruments are divided into two types according to the way the air is blown:

• Labial (from lat. labium - lips), in which air is blown through a special transverse hole in the head of the instrument. The blown air jet is cut against the sharp edge of the hole, due to which the air column inside the tube begins to oscillate. This type of instrument includes the flute and its folk version pipe.
• Reed (lingual; from lat. lingua - tongue), in which air is blown through a tongue (cane), fixed in the upper part of the instrument and which is the causative agent for fluctuations in the air column inside the instrument. Canes are of two types:
  • Single a reed is a thin reed plate that closes the hole in the mouthpiece of the instrument, leaving a narrow gap in it. When air is blown in, the reed, vibrating at a high frequency, assumes a different position, either opening or closing the channel in the instrument's mouthpiece. The vibration of the reed is transferred to a column of air inside the instrument, which also begins to vibrate, thus producing sound. Instruments using single reeds include the traditional clarinet and saxophone, as well as a number of rare instruments such as the aulochrome, heckel clarinet, and others.
  • Double the cane consists of two thin reed plates tightly connected to each other, which, vibrating under the influence of the blown air, close and open the gap formed by themselves. Instruments with a double reed include modern oboe and bassoon, ancient shawls and krummhorn, most folk wind instruments - duduk, zurna, etc.

The use of woodwind instruments in music

In a symphony orchestra, woodwinds (flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, as well as their varieties) form one of its main groups. In the score, their parts are written above the parts of other instruments. Some of the instruments of this group (first of all, flutes and clarinets, more rarely oboes, even more rarely - bassoons) are also used in a brass band and sometimes in chamber ensembles.

Woodwind instruments are more often used as soloists than other wind instruments.